


Where the Heart is

by Medie



Category: Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li
Genre: Chinese Character, Community: picfor1000, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-01
Updated: 2010-03-01
Packaged: 2017-10-07 15:41:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/66576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Medie/pseuds/Medie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's as if she never left.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Where the Heart is

**Author's Note:**

> written for [](http://www.dreamwidth.org/userinfo?user=picfor1000)[**picfor1000**](http://www.dreamwidth.org/userinfo?user=picfor1000) \- my picture was [egg tarts](http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j267/ca_me/Medie/pic1000.jpg). Story is post movie.

The house smells of them. Chun Li wakes to it, stretching beneath the sheets, and smiles to herself. _Home_. She rolls to one side and watches the slow light of morning make its way across the bedroom floor.

Her smile strengthens, brightens, takes on that light and makes it her own.

_Home_.

*

She doesn't move, not right away, loathe to disturb the moment. There's something magical about moments like this. She lies quietly, listening, and its as if time rolls back. As if her mother is in the kitchen, staring in consternation at a recipe book, determined to learn. She'd been so intent on getting things _right_. She'd tried so hard to embrace the culture of her husband and her daughter.

Chun Li's smile saddens, gentles, with the memory of those failed baking attempts. It warms again when she remembers her mother's euphoria at getting them right.

She closes her eyes and, for an instant, feels the brush of flour-dusted fingers against her cheek.

*

Huian looks up when Chun Li enters. The kitchen is overflowing with the fruits of her labor. She smiles, reaches for a plate, and waves Chun Li to the table. "Good morning."

Never one to obey easily, Chun Li avoids the table and steals a tart. She smiles, innocent, at the disapproving look from her lifelong companion. "Good morning," she replies, biting down. The tart's taste is bittersweet in its familiarity.

Huian nods and curls a hand around hers. "I miss her too."

*

It's as if she never left. Chun Li walks the gardens, tilts her head back, and looks at the blue sky overhead. The grounds are immaculate, perfectly preserved, and the house is unchanged.

She walks the footsteps of ghosts and hears the laughter of a little girl on the wind.

Turning her face, she closes her eyes and lets the sun dry her tears.

*

"What will you do?" Huian asks. She's waiting in the kitchen when Chun Li returns. Steam rises, slow and lazy, into the air between them. "Have you decided?"

"No."

Chun Li slides onto a stool, reaches for the pot, and finds her hands batted away. She smiles, nods, and lets Huian fuss. She laces her fingers together and leans against the shining countertop.

"You've been cleaning," she says, changing the subject.

"Not much," Huian says. She pours the tea, takes a plate, lays two tarts on it and puts both before her. She watches, eyes gentle, but intent. Chun Li can feel the scrutiny. "It was waiting for you."

"Even the dust?" Chun Li asks. She breaks a piece from the tart, bringing it to her mouth. She savors this one. Takes her time and lets the memories flow with the taste across her tongue.

"Even the dust." Huian's eyes warm with laughter. "It would not dare to settle in your steps."

Chun Li rolls her eyes and hides her laughter in the depths of her teacup.

Huian flicks her with the washcloth as she passes. "Hellion," she accuses, affectionate.

She hasn't changed either.

*

The silence of the house is the worst. Chun Li fills the house with music, plays for hours at a time, and then escapes to the gardens to practice. Hands always moving, dancing over keys and air alike, taking her through every moment of the day.

Huian pushes food at her, tarts and sweets ever-present in the kitchen, and Chun Li glories in her affection. She's never lacked for it, never pretended to be so starved, but she's never felt this before either.

Gen's visit is a relief.

*

"How is your fighter?" she asks, watching as, this time, he devours Huian's creations. He makes no attempt to hide his enjoyment, delighting Huian with his exclamations.

"Good," Gen says, tart in hand. "Not _this_ good. I can see why you came home. This is -- "

"Better than your cooking?" Chun Li asks.

"I was going to say better than _yours_," he says, "but neither would be so impressive a feat."

"At least you're honest," she replies, smiling. "And you can't have her."

He smiles, sly, and looks Huian's way. "Don't be so sure."

Huian bustles off, shaking her head, but Chun Li can see the pretty flush blooming on her cheeks. "She likes you," she says. "Huian isn't easily impressed."

Gen shrugs, but he's grinning. "Neither is her mistress."

*

"It's good that he's here," Huian says. "You smile more."

"I smiled before," Chun Li says. She looks around the kitchen, at the flowers decorating the dinner table, anywhere but Huian's worried face. "All the time."

Huian sighs, quiet and sad. "Perhaps, but still, we know what lay beneath."

Chun Li feels her chest tighten, the pain of loss lancing deep, and she turns away to find Gen waiting.

He lifts a brow. "Feel like working off dinner?"

*

Breath gusts out when she hits the grass. Chun Li doesn't notice. She rolls forward, up and onto her feet once more. A move, a twist, and a quick flick of her wrist sends Gen to take her place.

"You're distracted," he says, but he's winded.

She shrugs. "I've been thinking."

"About what Huian said?" he rises, turning to face her.

Another shrug. "About a lot of things."

"Coming home not all it was cracked up to be?" he asks. Arms folded, he tips his head and grins. "Did you miss me?"

She presses her lips together. It's all the answer she's willing to give either one of them. Darting forward, she grabs for him, but he's already gone.

"I think you did," he says, behind her. "Good."

"Good?" She sweeps his legs from beneath him, pouncing.

"Yes," he says, looking up, "it means that I wasn't alone."

*

She wakes to an empty room, but laughter fills the house. Gen's. Ryu's cursing and Huian's scolding quickly explain its source. Not that Chun Li requires any explanation; such events are a daily occurrence.

Laughing, she gets out of bed.


End file.
